Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 517 › Conversation 517-004
Nixon, Haldeman & Kissinger on Vietnam War and Foreign Policy
Friday, June 11, 1971 · 9:37 AM–10:36 AM ET · Oval Office · 52 min
AI Summary
President Nixon met with H. R. Haldeman and Henry Kissinger to discuss the administration's political strategy regarding the Vietnam War, press relations, and international economic policy. The group addressed criticism from figures like Clark Clifford and Senator Edward Kennedy, while emphasizing the importance of projecting positive movement in peace negotiations and foreign initiatives. Additionally, Nixon directed his staff to adopt a tougher stance on international loan policies and foreign leaders, specifically targeting Salvador Allende in Chile and bureaucratic resistance within the State Department.
- Vietnam War
- Foreign Policy
- Public Relations
- International Economics
- State Department
- Chile
- Richard Nixon
Audio
NARA Description
On June 11, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Manolo Sanchez, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Henry A. Kissinger, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:37 am to 10:36 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 517-004 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 517-004
Date: June 11, 1971
Time: 9:37 am - 10:36 am
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Manolo Sanchez
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[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 06/25/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[517-004-w001]
[Duration: 2m 20s]
Tricia Nixon Cox’s wedding
-Weather
-Chances of rain
Sanchez left and H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman entered at 9:39 am
Tricia Nixon Cox’s wedding
-Weather
-Temperature
Henry A. Kissinger entered at 9:40 am
Elizabeth Kissinger’s graduation
-Elementary school
The President’s 8th grade graduation
Louis Kissinger and Paula (Stern) Kissinger’s trip to Europe
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Kissinger meeting with Lyndon B. Johnson
-Molly Furness [possibly Betty Furness?]
-Clark M. Clifford
Lawrence F. O’ Brien, Jr. statement in Christian Science Monitor
-Godfrey Sperling, Jr. breakfast
-President’s handling of Vietnam
-Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy attack on PresidentShow the rest of the log (404 more lines)
-Content of Kennedy statement
Vietnam
-Content of Kennedy attack on President
-Robert J. Dole rebuttal
-Hubert H. Humphrey
-Walter L. Cronkite, Jr. and Arthur O. Sulzberger
-Administration attack on Clifford
-Ronald L. Ziegler
-Johnson’s reaction
-Burning Tree Country Club
-Effect of Clifford attack on President
-President’s contact with Hanoi
-Clifford attack on President
-Support of newsmen
-Kissinger’s trip to New York
-Time commitment
-Contact with Sulzberger
-Talks with [Forename unknown] Franco, Henry Hubbard, Dan Rather
-Rather comment
-Negotiations
-Press
-Negotiations
-Hanoi
-Clifford
-Xuan Thuy
-Dr. David K. E. Bruce
-Problems of coverage
-Clifford
-French newsmen
-Working dinner on the Sequoia, June 10
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 9
[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 06/25/2019.
Segment will remain closed.]
[Personal Returnable]
[517-004-w009]
[Duration: 3s]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 9
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Vietnam
-Working dinner on the Sequoia, June 10
-William P. Rogers
-John B. Connally
-John D. Ehrlichman
-Drug policy
-Recall of five ambassadors
-Meeting
-Rogers
-Vietnam prisoners of war [POWs]
-Press conference
-POWs for withdrawal
-Effect of press coverage
-POW problem
-In relation to casualties
-Eventual freeing
-H. Ross Perot
-Connally’s reaction
-Plan to visit POWs
-Reduction of emphasis
-Melvin R. Laird’s role
-Reduction in POW emphasis
-POWs as an issue
-Treatment
-Drug problem
-Dr. Jerome H. Jaffe
-Shift in opinion of media and Congress
-George S. McGovern-Mark O. Hatfield debate
-Bipartisan House of Representatives resolution
-Timing
-Effect
-Administration prospects
-Jacob K. Javits dinner
-George P. Shultz
-Ehrlichman
-Earl L. Butz [?]
-Professor [Forename unknown] Erickson
-Administration invitees
-Frank F. Church conversation with Kissinger
-McGovern-Hatfield prospects
-Need for cooperation between Senate and President
-Senate Resolution
-Content
-Previous dinner party
-Church remark
-Critics of Administration
-Real fears
-People’s Republic of China [PRC] initiative
-Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR] initiative
-Prospects of war’s end
-Clark MacGregor
-Houston Congressmen
-Bipartisan criticism
-Republican role
-Republican self-image
-MacGregor
-Congressional contacts
-Proffering of compromise resolutions
-Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield role
-Congressional actions
-Confidence of critics
-Impression of President
-Administration’s response
-Mansfield
Stephen B. Bull entered at unknown time after 9:42 am
President’s schedule
Bull left at unknown time before 10:33 am
Vietnam
-Polls
-Effect of criticism
-Nature of criticism
-Benefit of initiatives
-PRC
-USSR
-Strategy of North Vietnamese
-Illusion of progress
-Public reaction
-June 26
-Kissinger memo to President
-Xuan Thuy interview
-Separation of military and political issues
-Implications
-Casualties
-Related to earlier numbers
-John A. Scali role
-Press relations
-Cambodia
-Laos
PRC
-Trade efforts
-State Department involvement
-Rogers
-Winthrop G. Brown
-Press release
-State contribution
-Commerce Department
-Shipping requirements
-Peter G. Peterson
-Kissinger
-Labor contacts
-Jay Lovestone
-Labor complaints
-George Meany
-American bottoms
-Assurances to Kissinger
-Harry Bridges
-Thomas W. (“Teddy”) Gleason
-Packaging
-Union contacts
-Shultz role
-Willie J. Usery, Jr.
-Gleason
-Grain
-Press play
-Credit to President
-PR role
-Rogers’ role
-Brown’s role
-Ziegler briefing
-Quality
-Scali public relations session
-Scali qualities
-PRC trade
-Marshall Green
-Early criticism
-Press release
-Wording
-Secretary of State
-Secretary of Commerce
-Details of trade initiation
-President’s role
-John N. Irwin, II
-State Department
-Spy from White House
International economics
-Connally
-Chile problems
-Expropriation of US Industry
-Guyana
-Chile
-Jamaica
-Long-term effect
-Rogers
-Primacy of US law
-Expropriation
-Effect on US business
-US competitive position
-Peterson’s report
-Industry by industry
-Robert B. Anderson statement in 1959 comparison
-Peter M. Flanigan
-Comparison with Great Britain
-Economic decline
-US technology
-Rogers’ discussion with Willy Brandt
-Cooperation on Supersonic Transport [SST]
-German-American cooperation
-Status of US SST
-Advantages of SST over Concorde and Soviet SST
-Money and technology
-Flanigan
-Japanese
-Germans
-Cost to US
-Loss of technological leadership
-Benefit to US
-Tie to Germany
-Possible reaction by the British and French
-German-Soviet relations
-Connally
-Criticism
-European economic union
-Economic versus Defense integration
-Benefits
-Guyana
-US position
-Security for loans
-Kissinger’s call to Connally
-Chile
-Boeing 707 deal
-Export-Import [Ex-Im] Bank role
-Henry Kearns
-Chile’s reaction
-Banking conditions preventing expropriation
-Chile
-Connally
-Need for action
-Public perception
-State Department
-Pakistan
-Brazil
-Kissinger
-Assassination of Right Wing Christian Democrat
-Blame of Central Intelligence Agency [CIA]
-Martial law
-Attack on US
-Military Support
-Levels
-Comparison to Brazil
-Kissinger’s call to Connally
Department of State [DOS] personnel
-Flanigan appointment
-Nathanial Samuels
-Tie to Peterson
-Benefits
-White House contacts
-Irwin
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[Previous PRMPA Privacy (D) reviewed under deed of gift 06/25/2019. Segment cleared for
release.]
[Privacy]
[517-004-w010]
[Duration: 25s]
Department of State [DOS] personnel
-Peter M. Flanigan appointment
-John N. (“Jack”) Irwin, II
-Henry A. Kissinger’s opinion
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Department of State [DOS] personnel
-Peter M. Flanigan appointment
-Direction of Flanigan effort
-Benefits
-Feedback on State Department personnel
-Flanigan White House role
International economics
-Loans
-Pierre-Paul Schweitzer
-International Monetary Fund [IMF]
-Pakistan
-Recipients of loans
-World Bank criteria for loans
-Connally
-Robert S. McNamara and Schweitzer
-Ideological views
-Effect on policy
-McNamara meeting with Kissinger
-Pakistan Aid
-Kissinger’s talk with Connally
-IMF
-Ideological considerations
-Foreign governments’ domestic policies
-US reaction
-Double standard
-Czechoslovakia
-PRC
-Chile
-Military aid
-Salvador Allende Gossens
-Movement to one-party state
-Ex-Im Bank meeting
-General feeling
-Press control
-Treatment of military
-Police control
-Arguments for US pressure
-Further aid
-Connally
-Maurice H. Stans
-Interest
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
[National Security (B) withdrawal reviewed under MDR guidelines case number LPRN-T-MDR-
2014-027. Segment exempt per Executive Order 13526, 3.3(b)(1) on 05/01/2019. Archivist: DR]
[National Security]
[517-004-w008]
[Duration: 1m 3s]
FOREIGN POLICY
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
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International economics
-Brazil
-Support for US
-Territorial water limits
-Military nature of government
-William M. Rountree role
-International coffee agreement
-Message to ambassador
-Congressional action
-Reasons
-Forthcoming visit to US
-Message to ambassador
-Latin America section of State Department
-Ideological leanings
-Charles A. Meyer’s role
-Contact with Anastasio Somoza Debayle
-Liberalization of government
-Contact with Allende
Kissinger call to Connally
Meeting with Brazilian ambassador to US
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[Previous National Security (B) withdrawal reviewed under MDR guidelines case number
LPRN-T-MDR-2014-027. Segment declassified on 05/07/2019. Archivist: DR]
[National Security]
[517-004-w011]
[Duration: 40s]
Meeting with Brazilian ambassador to US
-Vernon A. Walters
-Trip to Brazil
-Christian [surname unknown]
-Recall
-Vernon A. Walter’s contact with Mozart Gurgel Valente
-Emissary to Brazil from US
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Meeting with Brazilian ambassador to US
-Fishing problems
-Congressional problems with coffee agreement
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[Previous National Security (B) withdrawal reviewed under MDR guidelines case number
LPRN-T-MDR-2014-027. Segment declassified on 05/07/2019. Archivist: DR]
[National Security]
[517-004-w012]
[Duration: 25s]
Vernon A. Walters
-Use as emissary
-Possible role in administration
-Central Intelligence Agency [CIA]
-Untrustworthy backchannel
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Kissinger and Haldeman left 10:36 amTranscript (AI-generated)
This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 8 minutes of this recording (about 15% of it) is represented by only a few words. Listen to the audio rather than relying on the text below; a corrected transcript is queued.
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— 1 min 22 s with no transcribed speech —
Also recorded on June 11, 1971
- 517-001 9:37 AM · 11 sec — unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:37 am to 9:39 am.
- 517-002 9:37 AM · 3 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:37 am and 9:39 am.
- 517-003 9:37 AM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:37 am and 9:39 am.
- 517-005 10:37 AM · 30 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Elliot L. Richardson, Roger O. Egeberg, Kenneth R. Cole, Jr., White House photographer, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:37 am to 11:08 am.
- 517-006 11:08 AM · 48 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, John Sherman Cooper, Clark MacGregor, Henry A. Kissinger, and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:08 am to 11:56 am.
- 517-007 11:56 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:56 am and 11:58 am.
- 517-008 11:58 AM · 22 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Samuel L. Devine, and William E. Timmons met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:58 am to 12:20 pm.
- 517-009 12:20 PM · 37 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:20 pm and 12:23 pm.
Related conversations
- Nixon, Ziegler & Haig on ITT and Chile March 23, 1972 · 1 min
- Nixon, Kissinger & Mansfield on Vietnam War and Troop withdrawals April 6, 1971 · 55 min
- Nixon & Kissinger on Chile and Political Strategy October 12, 1971 · 6 min
- Nixon & Kissinger on Foreign Policy and Vietnam War February 26, 1971 · 20 min
- Nixon, Mitchell & Burns on Supreme Court appointments September 20, 1971 · 58 min
- Nixon, Peterson & Kissinger on PRC-US relations and Presidential initiative April 13, 1971 · 6 min
Cite this conversation
Conversation 517-004, June 11, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives (NAID 417177847). Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/517-004 (accessed November 2, 2026).